1. Technical Field
This invention relates to an improved fuel injector which effectively controls the flow rate of fuel injected into the combustion chamber of an engine.
2. Description of Related Art
In most fuel supply systems applicable to internal combustion engines, fuel injectors are used to direct fuel pulses into the engine combustion chamber. A commonly used injector is a closed-nozzle injector which includes a nozzle valve assembly having a spring-biased nozzle or needle valve element positioned adjacent the needle orifices for resisting blow back of exhaust gas into the pumping or metering chamber of the injector while allowing fuel to be injected into the cylinder. The needle valve element also functions to provide a deliberate, abrupt end to fuel injection thereby preventing a secondary injection which causes unburned hydrocarbons in the exhaust. The needle valve element is positioned in a nozzle cavity and biased by a nozzle spring to block fuel flow through the injector orifices. In many fuel systems, when the pressure of the fuel within the nozzle cavity exceeds the biasing force of the nozzle spring, the needle valve element moves outwardly to allow fuel to pass through the injector orifices, thus marking the beginning of injection. In another type of system, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,676,114 to Tarr et al., the beginning of injection is controlled by a servo-controlled needle valve element. The assembly includes a control volume positioned adjacent an outer end of the needle valve element, a drain circuit for draining fuel from the control volume to a low pressure drain, and an injection control valve positioned along the drain circuit movement of the needle valve element between open and closed positions. Opening of the injection control valve causes a reduction in the fuel pressure in the control volume resulting in a pressure differential which forces the needle valve open, and closing of the injection control valve causes an increase in the control volume pressure and closing of the needle valve. U.S. Pat. No. 5,463,996 issued to Maley et al. discloses a similar servo-controlled needle valve injector.
Internal combustion engine designers have increasingly come to realize that substantially improved fuel injection systems are required in order to meet the ever increasing governmental and regulatory requirements of emissions abatement and increased fuel economy. It is well known that the level of emissions generated by the diesel fuel combustion process can be reduced by decreasing the volume of fuel injected during the initial stage of an injection event while permitting a subsequent unrestricted injection flow rate. As a result, many proposals have been made to provide injection rate control devices in closed nozzle fuel injector systems. One method of controlling the initial rate of fuel injection is to spill a portion of the fuel to be injected during the injection event. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,647,536 to Yen et al. discloses a closed nozzle injector which includes a spill circuit formed in the needle valve element for spilling injection fuel during the initial portion of an injection event to decrease the quantity of fuel injected during this initial period thus controlling the rate of fuel injection. A subsequent unrestricted injection flow rate is achieved when the needle valve moves into a position blocking the spill flow causing a dramatic increase in the fuel pressure in the nozzle cavity.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,811,715 to Djordjevic et al. and 3,747,857 to Fenne each disclose a fuel delivery system for supplying fuel to a closed nozzle injector which includes an expandable chamber for receiving a portion of the high pressure fuel to be injected. The diversion or spilling of injection fuel during the initial portion of an injection event decreases the quantity of fuel injected during this initial period thus controlling the rate of fuel injection. A subsequent unrestricted injection flow rate is achieved when the expandable chamber becomes filled causing a dramatic increase in the fuel pressure in the nozzle cavity. Therefore these devices rely on the volume of the expandable chamber to determine the beginning of the unrestricted flow rate. Moreover, the use of a separate expandable chamber device mounted on or near an injector increases the costs, size and complexity of the injector. U.S. Pat. No. 5,029,568 to Perr discloses a similar injection rate control device for an open nozzle injector.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,804,143 to Thomas and 2,959,360 to Nichols disclose other fuel injector nozzle assemblies incorporating passages in the nozzle assembly for diverting the fuel from the nozzle assembly. The injection nozzle unit disclosed in Thomas includes a restricted passage formed in the injector adjacent the nozzle valve element for directing fuel from the nozzle cavity to a fuel outlet circuit. However, the restricted passage is used to maintain fuel flow through the nozzle unit so as to effect cooling. The Thomas patent nowhere discusses or suggests the desirability of controlling the injection rate. Moreover, the restricted passage is closed by the nozzle valve element upon movement from its seated position to prevent diverted flow during injection. The fuel injector disclosed in Nichols includes a nozzle valve element having an axial passage formed therein for diverting fuel from the nozzle cavity into an expansible chamber formed in the nozzle valve element. A plunger is positioned in the chamber to form a differential surface creating a fuel pressure induced seating force on the nozzle valve element to aid in rapidly seating the valve element. The Nichols reference does not suggest the desirability of controlling the rate of injection.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,993,926 to Cavanagh discloses a fuel pumping apparatus including a piston having a passage formed therein for connecting a chamber to an annular groove for spilling fuel during an initial portion of an injection event. The piston includes a land which blocks the spill of fuel after the initial injection stage to permit the entirety of the fuel to be injected into the engine cylinder. However, this device is incorporated into a piston pump positioned upstream from an injector.
Another method of reducing the initial volume of fuel injected during each injection event is to reduce the pressure of the fuel delivered to the nozzle cavity during the initial stage of injection. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,020,500 to Kelly discloses a closed nozzle injector including a passage formed between the nozzle valve element and the inner surface of the nozzle cavity for restricting or throttling fuel flow to the nozzle cavity so as to provide rate shaping capability. U.S. Pat. No. 4,258,883 issued to Hoffman et al. discloses a similar fuel injection nozzle including a throttle passage formed between the nozzle valve element and a separate control supply valve for restricting fuel flow into the nozzle cavity thus limiting the pressure increase in the cavity and the rate of injection fuel flow through the injector orifices.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,669,360 issued to Knight, 3,747,857 issued to Fenne, and 3,817,456 issued to Schlappkohl all disclose closed nozzle injector assemblies including a high pressure delivery passage for directing high pressure fuel to the nozzle cavity of the injector and a throttling orifice positioned in the delivery passage for creating an initial low rate of injection. Moreover, the devices disclosed in Knight and Schlappkohl include a valve means operatively connected to the nozzle valve element which provides a substantially unrestricted flow of fuel to the nozzle cavity upon movement of the nozzle valve element a predetermined distance off its seat.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,718,283 issued to Fenne and 4,889,288 issued to Gaskell disclose fuel injection nozzle assemblies including other forms of rate shaping devices. For example, Fenne '283 uses a multi-plunger and multi-spring arrangement to create a two-stage rate shaped injection. The Gaskell reference uses a damping chamber filled with a damping fluid for restricting the movement of the nozzle valve element.
Although the systems discussed hereinabove create different stages of injection, further improvement in injector simplicity and rate shaping effectiveness is desirable.